The winds are slowly changing
by Alien on Broadway
Summary: He and she were in the same boat. Ryan & Lux bonding fic.


Fandom: Life Unexpected

Author: Alien on Broadway

Wordcount: ~1400

Summary: He and she were in the same boat. Ryan & Lux bonding fic.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the notebook on which I wrote this. But make yourselves no illusions, it's a worthless piece of machinery that you would rather throw out of a window than use.

Why: Out of love for Kerr Smith.

Lux slammed the door and walked quickly through the house to her room. She needed to get away from her parents. She knows they mean well but it is just so incredibly frustrating. She hadn't had a parental figure in her life for nearly 16 years now. No matter how hard they tried nor how nice they were she refused to become dependant of one now.

Baze and Cate were trying, she got it. What she also noticed were the looks between them and the fact that they both still seemed to blame the other for not making a different decision all those years ago. It was almost as if they were looking at her for making things right, as if she had to tell (en keep telling) them that it was al alright and they were of the hook. Well it wasn't. She'd gotten the explanation and accepted the fact it had happened, hell she even understood some of it. The figure of speech of Forgiven not Forgotten hadn't even quite made it to the first part yet.

For the first time in her life she has a place of her own. With no other foster kids taking a peek at her in the shower or shoving her out of her bed. Yet she felt as if for these gifts she got they also expected something. Instant unconditional love for parents that left her. Gratefulness turned to obedience. Damn, someone was already entering the house. So much for a couple hours of alone time.

Ryan was busy keeping his briefcase and coffee-cup in the same hand and upright, while attempting to find his house-keys and not dropping the bag of cupcakes. A feet that not many could achieve he had finally managed to open the door and while closing it even sipping his coffee. He was glad that he got a few hours to himself. With kids coming out of the woodwork, ex-boyfriends and social workers that followed their every move and not to forget the rejected marriage proposals he needed al the alone time he could get to mule over some things.

So when he saw the jacket and scarf on the kitchen chair and an nearly empty bottle of coke in the refrigerator he almost had to sigh. So much for his alone time. It also meant that he had to share his cupcakes, that thought just made him sad. "Lux!, I've got cupcakes that are just yelling to be eaten. Want one?". They were still uncomfortable around each other. He because his brain simply had not yet caught up with the situation, and she because instead of just her parents she had another parental figure which she couldn't even define.

With him in the house her solitude was threatened anyway. And cupcakes were cupcakes. Oh well, they always say when you can't beat them join them. "I'm coming down, don't eat to fast". In the few days that she'd been here Ryan's eating habits had impressed her. If you weren't careful you could starve even when there had been a whole pizza for just three persons five minutes before. She climbed down the stairs rather madly, cupcakes here I come!

Ryan had already set plates out and poured himself another cup of coffee and a glass of coke for Lux. He was glad that she had an appreciation for caffeine, he just didn't dare to give her coffee because of the wrath he would undoubtly have to endure from Cate.

"You are home early, did school get out sooner?" At the look that Lux shot him he felt the need to explain himself. "I'm must asking out of interest. I don't mean to be interfering." The look on his face showed that was not his plan.

Lux felt a pang of guilt. Ryan was just making small talk, she shouldn't be so paranoid of every comment that was made. "I know, you really don't have to explain yourself to me. I'm just having one of those days". He snorted. Ever since he met Cate he seemed to have one of those days a lot more. Now she was looking at him funnily again. "Those days seem to be happening quit often these days don't you think? You know i think the cupcakes are getting sad that neither of us seems to be hungry. Shall we put them out of their misery?

This was bizarre. Being a foster child for 15 and something years and then finding yourself at sitting at a table eating cupcakes with someone you hardly knew and had no real relation too. Yet in a way Ryan could probably understand what she was going through better then anyone. Not the whole abandonment issue and the following psychological problems of course, but the being trust in a unreal situation part.

"Ryan?" He looked up. "Aren't you pissed at Cate?" He smiled, it seemed that they were thinking along the same lines here. "You can't possibly be okay with al of this. Instead of just having you not so forthcoming fiancé you suddenly have the whole package, including an old high school flame that caused most of her issues. Not to mention the troublesome daughter lives in the same house within a week."

That he liked about her, instead of her mother (who was good with words but only on air) she was ruthfully honest.

He wished the words always came as easily as on the job. "I won't sit here and pretend that I'm not affected by any of this. Finding out that your future wife has a daughter that she has never once mentioned at the same time as the rest of Portland is somewhat shocking."

"Yeah uhm sorry about that."

"You know, that would be a whole lot more convincing if you wouldn't be smirking at the same time."

Sticking out her tongue and throwing a piece of cupcake to the man's head seemed like the only appropriate response. "Okay, okay I surrender" holding up his hands to make his point.

"To get back at your question it is weird. Most people get to do this more gradually. I just got your Mom to open up enough to let me in and accept that I really wasn't going away when this happened. So long as she doesn't try to shut me out again we are going to be okay, the ex-boyfriends bit is something that happens not matter what and as for the daughter part: what a daughter she has. And I mean that in the best possible way. How are you dealing with al of this?"

"Me? I'm fine. If I had to go back to that foster family I would not have been fine. On the other hand if I'd gotten my emancipated I would have been fine as well." When he didn't comment on that last remark he rose in her esteem. "Don't you have something to say about that last bit? That I am so much better of here. With parents who love me and provide a shelter and food for me?" She couldn't keep the biting tone out of her comments. That is what everyone had been telling her up till now, she just wasn't that sure she agreed on all levels.

The answer she received was a very firm no. "No I don't think so. For a 15 year old, holding his hands up in the air to show he knew what she was about to say, almost 16 even I think you're very wise. I don't doubt for a second that you would have been able to make a decent living for yourself. I won't deny that I think that this situation may be better for you."

She'd been taking her second cupcake apart piece by piece and just popped another piece in her mouth. "And why might that be?" "It gives al of you a chance to heal and close chapters of your love that you wouldn't have gotten otherwise. I'm not saying that it is going to be easy or that you have to forgive your parents now you've heard the stories. But the feelings that you have are going to get better and if there is even a slight chance that you can extend your family you should take it. Right?"

"Yeah I suppose you're right, in a way we are in the same boat. And it could have been with worse company." She grinned, cleared up her plate and put the bottle of coke back in the refrigerator. Just then the door opened and Cate walked in. Lux walked past her and paused at the door, "Thanks". Cate stared after her and looked back at Ryan. "What was that al about?" "She was just thanking me for the cupcakes I shared." He shook his head, bonding over cupcakes he'd always known they were food for the gods.


End file.
